Devon Cricket Board - Bovey Tracey & Sandford

Bovey Tracey & Sandford

PREMIER DIVISION
BOVEY Tracey skipper Peter Bradley has insisted that talk of his side as title favourites is premature!
Going into the new season – Bovey start at home to Sandford this Saturday – skippers across the top flight are tipping Bradley’s men to wrestle the title away from holders North Devon.
The arrival of former Devon captain Neil Hancock (pictured) from Sidmouth on a two-year deal has something to do with Bovey’s billing, coupled with the fact they have not been out of the top four in the last three seasons.
Bradley does not mind the respect of his rival captains, but feels with no cricket played yet they are jumping the gun!
“We have got a good squad of players and a bit more depth than last season, but it is a bit early to be making premature predictions,” said Bradley.
“It is great having Hanks around, not just as a player for all the experience he can pass on from playing for Devon, Somerset and the Unicorns. He has done some work with our bowlers already and you can see the improvement.
“Charlie Hill has arrived from Plymouth, which gives us an extra seamer bowling away swing, and Matt Laidman from Exeter University is a useful addition for the first half of the season
“Matt is a keeper-batsman who has played for Surrey 2^nd XI and looks good in the nets. We are also going to need a keeper as Ben Ayres will miss six games this season.
“Nick Seager has gone to London and Andy Fairbairn will miss four games as well, so the batting won’t always look the same.
“Our downfall in the past has been lack of depth and if we have that covered we should have a good season.”
Bovey haven’t gone for a high-profile overseas player, but do have two youngsters, Kiwi Phil Barraclough and South Australian U19 player Dillon Mullins on board for the season.
Barraclough came over last season, but broke a thumb in pre-season training and didn’t play a game in anger.

SANDFORD return to the tip flight this Saturday with an away game at Bovey Tracey after two years of rebuilding in the A Division.

The team former captain Richard Baggs put together in the early 2000s, which won back-to-back Premier titles and Devon Cup, fell apart after he departed for Exmouth and the club’s fortunes went into a steady decline.

Under current captain Matt Theedom a new generation has emerged eager for a crack at the Premier Division again.

Theedom is a realist – he knows Sandford’s shortcomings – but is confident they can overcome them over the next four months to get re-established as a Premier club.

“We didn’t expect to get promoted last season – I thought it would be Torquay and Exeter – but the chance came along and we took it,” said Theedom.

“There is a nucleus if the old guard – myself, Adrian Small, Russ Discombe, Jamie Palmer - who have been here before, and Neil Bettis who has come back to us from North Devon.

“The younger players in the side who helped us get up last year need to do what they did more consistently this summer if we are going to stay there.”

Sandford haven’t been quiet on the recruiting front over the winter as they have picked up a clutch of players.

Keeper-batsman George Greed has arrived from Thorverton while batter Scott Tremayne has upgraded from Bridestowe, where he was captain.

From further afield come Kiwi quickie Luke Wright and Dave Dredge, an all-rounder from Frome.

Dredge’s dad Colin used to play for Somerset in the Botham, Richards and Marks era.

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